Executives from Cardbox Packaging’s Austrian headquarters recently hosted a ceremony to celebrate the success of the company’s U.S. manufacturing headquarters in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park West, Pittston Township. The company’s local employees and numerous dignitaries attended the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Cardbox Packaging is an international producer of high-quality and sophisticated cardboard packaging in the luxury and branded goods sector, with a particular emphasis on the food industry. Cardbox Packaging has locations in Austria (Wolfsberg and Pinkafeld), the Czech Republic (Zádveřice), Serbia (Belgrade), and the U.S. (Pittston Township). It partners with companies in the European and American markets, particularly in the confectionery, food, cosmetics, and healthcare sectors.
In June 2019, the company announced plans, as part of a $5.3m investment, to establish its first U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in a 27,500 sq ft building that would be constructed in CenterPoint West by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services. Earlier this year, to accommodate the company’s rapid growth, Mericle began construction on an 11,000 sq ft building expansion, which is nearing completion.
“With regard to local business relationships, setting a plant in Pittston Township was a strategic step forward for the whole Cardbox Packaging group. Unfortunately, we could not perform any ceremonial opening due to the pandemic, so today‘s event compensates for that fact a bit,” said Klaus Hockl, Managing Director, Cardbox Packaging Holding. “We would like to thank all of our employees for their constant efforts for Cardbox Packaging. Our success relates to them.”
“We are thrilled to be having our expansion ready to facilitate our future growth,” added Roland Schöberl, Managing Director, Cardbox Packaging Holding. “Our growth strategy is to concentrate on bringing on board new customers which fit out target markets, which include food manufacturing, confectionary, and consumer product goods.”
Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development provided incentive funding to the company in 2019.
“I would like to congratulate Cardbox on this expansion, and it’s really encouraging to see the strong packaging supply chain that has been established here in Luzerne County,” said David Briel, DCED Deputy Secretary for International Business Development. “DCED worked with our regional partners to get Greiner Packaging to locate its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing here and this eventually enabled its strategic partner, Cardbox, to follow suit in 2019 and set up U.S. operations in Pittston Township as well. It’s been great to watch these international companies come here to the Commonwealth and grow their North American operations from a Pennsylvania base.”
Mericle Vice President, Bill Jones, coordinated the real estate project. Jones said Cardbox is one of 75 tenants in CenterPoint and is the second to be headquartered in Austria. Greiner Packaging USA, also in Pittston Township, is the other. Jones noted CenterPoint’s tenants employ approximately 7,500 people in 51 park buildings.
“It has been pleasure working with the entire Cardbox team since 2019,” Jones said. “We look forward to their continued growth as they develop innovative products in the U.S. packaging marketplace.”
Michelle Mikitish, President of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Cardbox on its rapid growth in CenterPoint. “We are happy to see another international company expand in Greater Pittston,” she said.
